This is the season when I am getting multiple calls and emails about how to treat and/or prevent colds and flu. The flu vaccine does not work. Canadians had mandatory flu vaccinations and then studies done on their population and it turns out they got MORE flu infections than we did in our country. The problem is that the flu vaccine is based on strains of influenza that were from prior years (that’s the only way we know so far how to do this). Remember that viruses mutate. By the time we make a vaccine based on last year’s strain, it has mutated and we have a whole new set of viruses circulating. Exceptions are for the elderly and immune deficient. I do recommend you get vaccinated if you are 65 years or older and/or have had trouble with robust immunity in the past or are receiving treatment for cancer or auto-immune disease that is knocking out your immune system.

The best way to treat cold and flu is to make your body balanced so these bugs cannot live inside of you. Here are some tips:

1. Good handwashing

No hand sanitizers with alcohol in them! Essential oils only.

Antimicrobial essential oils are listed below: (make your own and pour in spray pump or buy Floracopeia hand sanitizer at Fern Life Center).

3. Vitamin D both kids and adults (must be D3 and most absorbent with K2 added).

5,000 IU for adults in fall, winter and spring and 2,000 IU for summer

For kids use 2,000 IU

If you already have a cold take 50,000 IU for 2 weeks until the bottle is gone (available at Fern Life Center)

Check level every 6 months

4. Vitamin C 1 gm a day

5. Trace Minerals: Zinc and Selenium are necessary to maintain immunity health. Fern Bio-Multi-Min (1 each meal) or Standard Processes’ Organically Bound Minerals (1 each meal) have the right balance.(available at Fern Life Center)

These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties which are antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and soothing .

8. Myco-Fern (mushroom immunity booster) and Viracid (anti-viral nutrients) are great immune boosters and actively fight off flu and cold viruses. (available at Fern Life Center)

9.MCT Colada is a super dose of Mono-Laurines (found in coconut in small amounts) with anti-viral activity: 1 TBSP/day. (available at Fern Life Center)

10. Celtic Sea Salt 1 tsp a day

11. Exercise: make sure you have 5 sweaty tee shirts a week.

12.Pranayama: See Keesha for a dedicated practice of conscious breathing for health

13.Meditation: check out our monthly classes and group sangha!

14.Massage: 4-8 times a month to stimulate lymphatic flow

15.Sweat 30 minutes a day (an infrared sauna is a great investment! Or come in and try Fern Life Center’s revolutionary all natural cedar steam box and get a sinus treatment too!)

16. Keeeping organs healthy and clear

Liver: milk thistle or Liver Support (2 twice day) from Banyan or Tattvas

Kidneys: dandelion tea or Kidney Formula from Banyan (2 twice a day)

Colon: 30-50 gms of fiber a day (soluble and insoluble) and/or Gastro-Fiber from Standard Process. (available at Fern Life Center)

17.Keep a clean diet free of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Pay attention to food sensitivities. The best diet is a supplemented Paleo-Mediterranean diet.

Know your Ayurvedic type and eat accordingly. Check out www.fernlifecenter.com and take the online quiz and make an appointment with Keesha Ewers, ARNP for a complete food plan and daily routine suited for you.

Get your micro-nutrients tested and food allergies tested for by Spectra-cell. (available at Fern Life Center)

1.Build your own steam tent: Boil water on top of the stove in a pot, take it off of the heat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil, and put a towel over your head and the pan to form a steam tent and breathe in the mist. This will make you cough a lot as things open up.

2.Lymphatic treatment, massage and steam to get rid of all that mucous. Book a series at Fern Life Center with our cold and flu season special!

3.Drink hot fresh ginger tea with honey and lemon in it every 30 minutes.

Boil fresh ginger (the more you use the stronger it will be) in water for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon and honey to taste. May add black pepper (pippali best) for copious mucous congestion.

4.Make a paste with black pepper, honey and ginger and lick it off the spoon three times a day.

5.Use Uncle Harry’s “cold stopper” essential oil blend. Mix one drop into an 8 oz glass of warm water and drink every 30 minutes for 4 hours. (available at Fern Life Center)

6.For sinus congestion:

Use neti pot with 1 capsule goldenseal and ¼ tsp turmeric added to the saline.

Then do nasya oil 3-5 drops each nostril.

Use Fern Sinu-Port 2 twice a day (all available at Fern Life Center)

7.Herbal antibiotic for green or yellow colored mucous:

Goldenseal, osha, turmeric, and neem mixed in equal parts. Fill 00 sized capsules and take 2 caps two times a day.

8.Avoid all dairy products and cold/raw foods or drinks.

9.Take a bath each night using detox salts (can be found at Fern Life Center) to remove toxins from body through skin. Make sure to use lymphatic brush first to loosen everything.

½ cup freshly grated ginger or 1 TBSP dried ginger may be added to the bath to stimulate increased sweating and detoxification.

10.Eat 1 tsp at least of Celtic Sea Salt per day on food or in water.

11.Immune boosting supplements: All available at Fern Life Center

Immune Enhancer from Banyan or Tattvas Herbs (2 twice a day)

Congaplex from Standard Process (1 three times a day)

Ayurvedic Cold and Flu supplement from Tattvas Herbs

Echinacea liquid from Medi-Herb (1 tsp three times a day)

Echinacea and Goldenseal extract from Herb Pharm (2 droppers 3-4 times a day)

Immuno-Support 3 three times a day

Mineral Supplement (we like Fern Bio-Multi-Min or any of the Standard Process minerals).It is essential that your supplement has adequate selenium, zinc, NAC and ALA

12.Don’t allow yourself to become constipated. You must have at least one bowel movement a day to remain healthy. Use Triphala ( 2-12 per day as needed), Magnesium Citrate 1 per meal, and/or Gastrofiber (1-3 capsules per meal as needed) until you learn to regulate your diet and daily routine to maintain good bowel health.

13.Consider a juice fast monthly to feed your cells. Green veggies only with plenty of parsley and cilantro for detoxification. Add lemon, garlic, a pinch of cayenne pepper, celtic sea salt, turmeric, a sheet of nori, some daikon radish, and ginger for an extra boost to the immune system.

14.Supplement with Garden of Life’s Perfect Green Food daily.

15.Use a probiotic daily. You need AT LEAST 50 billion colony forming units (cfus) per day of at least 4 different strains of good bugs. Rotate the brand you use frequently. If you have been on antibiotics your probiotic should be in the trillions. I recommend using Pharmax’s HLC Intensive sachets for 2-3 weeks to re-inoculate the GI tract.

17.Colon hydro-therapy will also help your body absorb nutrients better and detox built up toxins.

For more information about kid’s health I recommend John Douillard’s Perfect Health for Kids. For adult health and understanding your unique body type read Deepak Chopra’s Perfect Health. Both available at Fern Life Center.

DISCLAIMER The sole purpose of this web
site is to provide information about the medical services offered by Fern
Life Center. The information on this site is not intended for use in the diagnosis,
prevention, treatment or cure of any disease or health-related issue. If you
have a health concern, please call Fern Life Center for an appointment during
regular business hours or see your regular healthcare provider.